AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Raccoon River Park

Blue Heron Lake–City Campus Pond, 3 lakes

10.9 mi · ▲ 244 ft · 3 hr 45 min

Blue Heron Lake–City Campus Pond, 3 lakes is a 10.9-mile out-and-back in Raccoon River Park near Ashawa, IA. The route passes City Campus Pond, Blue Heron Lake and Raccoon River Park Beach before reaching Raccoon River Park Beach at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 244 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi810 – 974 ft12.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.57709, -93.73646
Nearest town Ashawa, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Blue Heron Lake–City Campus Pond, 3 lakes

10.9 mi · ▲ 244 ft · 3 hr 45 min

Elevation 809–975 ft

Out & Back · Raccoon River Park

Trailhead: 41.57709, -93.73646

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:16 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 0.3 miTurn right onto Jordan Creek Trail, heading W.
  4. 1.1 miPass City Campus Pond.
  5. 300 ftTurn left, heading W.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  8. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  11. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  12. 200 ftSharp left, heading S.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  14. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  15. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SW.
  16. 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 400 ftTurn left onto 50th Street Trail, heading SW.
  18. 1.2 miTurn left onto Grand Avenue Trail, heading S.
  19. 1.5 miPass Blue Heron Lake.
  20. 50 ftPass Raccoon River Park Beach.
  21. 0.2 miBear right onto Raccoon River Park Trail, heading NE.
  22. 250 ftPass Raccoon River Park Beach.
  23. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  25. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  26. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  27. 50 ftReach Blue Heron Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  29. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  30. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  31. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  32. 1.7 miTurn right onto 50th Street Trail, heading SW.
  33. 1.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  34. 400 ftTurn left, heading N.
  35. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  36. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  37. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  38. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  39. 200 ftBear right, heading N.
  40. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  41. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  42. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  43. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  44. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  45. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  46. 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  47. 50 ftContinue straight onto Jordan Creek Trail, heading NE.
  48. 0.8 miTurn left, heading N.
  49. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  50. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/blue-heron-lake-city-campus-pond-out-back-7-beaches-18-km

Trail surface

19% paved81% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:16 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~83 min). Leave by 5:33 PM for the 7:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:51 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Ashawa, Iowa